Refrigerated space humidification



Oct- 17, 1961 F. L. LAPORTE REFRIGERATED SPACE HUMIDIFICATION Filed July 21, 1960 Y ..E e w a R TO 0 M r n I f 6 M H 5 H a N m F a, B

United States Patent ce v 3,004,403 REFRIGERATED SPACE HUMIDIFICATION Francis L. Laporte, 428 N. Claremont St.,

' San Mateo, Calif. Filed July 21, 1960, Ser. No. 44,446 5 Claims. (Cl. 62-311) The present invention relates generally to mechanical refrigeration, and more particularly to refrigeration of storage compartments, display cases and fixtures of the type wherein it is desirable to maintain perishable commodities such as fruits, vegetables, flowers and the like, in fresh condition.

From experience it has been found, and this is generally accepted, that. the ideal temperature to attain this end is in a range between forty and fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit. At such temperatures, the fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and the like will retain their pristine appearance and crispness provided that dehydration of them does not result inconsequence of the refrigeration system operation.

In other Words, during normal refrigeration cycles, the evaporator of the refrigeration system inherently attracts to itself the moisture in the atmosphere ambient thereto, and in the process gradually extracts therefrom the natural moisture existent in the friuts, vegetables, and flowers that are kept in the refrigerated space.

Consequently therefore, these commodities will wilt notwithstanding their subjection to the cooling effects of the refrigeration system. This has heretofore posed a considerable problem, and various remedies have been resorted to in attempts to solve the problem.

From numerous tests and the experience derived therefrom, it has been found that commodities of the type un-' der consideration can be preserved for long periods of time. at theabove-designated temperatures provided the humidity of the, ambient atmosphere be maintained at approximately ninety percent.

Among the numerous remedies heretofore employed in attempts to solve this problem, spraying of the refrigerated space with water has been resorted to at times. Again, it has been customary to place pans of water in the refrigerated space in an endeavor to replenish the moisture extracted therefrom. Sprinkling of thecommodities with the attendantjrness has frequently been resorted to, and SO on;

Inasmuch as the preferable temperature in this type of refrigeration is withinthe range set forth hereinbefore, frost d oes not accumulate on the evaporator, and defrosting thereofis rarely requisite. In other words, in the parlanceofthe industry, the evaporator sweats. so that its drippings dro'p intov the drain pan whence they are discharged to. sewage via a drain pipe.

In consequence ofthis customary arrangement as should now be apparent, moistureconcurrently extracted from the commoditiesaforesaid and from the atmosphere in the refrigerated spacehas heretofore not only been dissipated, but it has been found necessary to substitute moisture therefor, by manually supplied means, or other auxiliary means In accordance with the concepts of the present invention however, the condensate or moisture drippings of the evaporator that descend into the drain pan will be trapped and prevented from being discharged viathe usual drain 3,004,403 Patented Oct. 17, 71961 pipe. To this end, the present invention first of all pro vides a sump in the drain pan'wherein such drippings are adapted to collect rather than to proceed into the drain pipe. vision of a tubular member having its intake orlower end submerged in the condensate collected in said sump, and having its outlet or upper end terminate contiguously to the leading edges of the blades of an electric fan'positioned in horizontally spaced relationship relatively to one end of the evaporator.

Preferably but not necessarily, the upper or outlet end of the tubular member is flared both upwardly and laterally whereby to present an enlarged area for the suction, action of the fan blades aforesaid as they rapidly revolve across the opening expanse thereof.

Furthermore, preferably but not necessarily, the present invention contemplates the incorporation of a pair of spaced concentric ring members each rigidly secured to the leading edges of the fan blades, and having a series means are provided to first capture the moisture extractedfrom the refrigerated space and thereupon to re-distribute v thismoisture throughout the space in atomizedform.

Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to add a sump portion onto the conventional drain pan, I whereinto the dripping s from the evaporator will collect. rather than discharge via the drain pipe. v

It is a further object of the invention to provide a. suction tube that has its lower or inlet end disposed in. said sump portion, and its upper or outlet end disposed in proximity to the leading edges of'the blades of a conven tional fan, whereby the rapid rotation of said blades past said upper end'of the tube will create. a vacuum condi- I tion adapted to withdraw the condensate from the sump and deliver it into the air stream simultaneously created I by the rotating blades aforesaid.

It is another object of the present invention to mount said fan in such position that the air stream thereby created is directed through the evaporator. Thusthe mixed air and atomized condensate has a tendency to become further moist-laden before it circulates throughout the refrigerated space.

Another object of the invention is to preferably provide an enlarged outlet portion on the upper end of the suction tube, so that the vacuum condition createdby the fan blades in passing will be enhanced. t 7

It is a further object of the invention to integrate with the leading edges of the fan blades a pair of spaced concentric ring members connected by a circular series of vanes adapted to augment the vacuum-creating action of said blades. i

The invention is illustrated on a sheet of drawings that accompanies this specification. It will of course be under stood that these drawings are given by way of example only, in order to illustrate the basic concepts of the invention.

Further, the present invention teaches the pro-- corfiplet'e lindrstandifig' bf this invention.

lnsaiddrawingszw v W 'FIGURE 1 is a generally diagrammatic illustration of an evaporator and drain pan assembly in association with exemplary refrigerated space humidifying means in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the suction tube appearing in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 1, illustrating an embodimentivherein the ring-vane as- The means wherewitlr"the"" 'aresent"invention attains 'its objectives include asun'i'pfportibfnjZZ formed in the' drain paii 18,' a nct'ien conduit a pea -ag nda motordriven' fan gene' l-lyfdes ignate 26 'As shown in the drawing,

"pj i :ed'ina'dvance of the'drairi" pip "'with respec to t vaporator, wherel'ayfthe'drip ings -therefroni -wil jean-seem saidFsumpf-and only the overflow"shoti1d*thei'e"be any'f' will flow into"the"drain pipe. The contour of the"'sunip portion 'is riot endear" as "shoiild be 'obvio H r t, i

The suction tube24 is shovviif'pefsein FIGURE 3, and -inchides a lower i' intak'e d 'zsyanaaanpp r or foi tlet end Theend30of the'tubetfflprojects largely from 'the mab'ody"of thembeas shown in 1 Fl 1*] g A UR and"generallyidesigfiated"43, it will Be seen that m v nes' hl "enemy-axially of the iings It win be und "food howevenitha t'such'vanes may be disposed indiag onalfisliidii'if'des ed: i

It not deemed necessaiytd illustrate tlie supporting stru tire fortheevaporator andarain' pan, the suction; tube nd the niotbi drivenfarifinasrnuch as any-suit; able means mayfjbe-einployed?for thispurpose as is under's 06d. Furthermore, the" supporting structurewill vary 'in' difiefenfi'ristllatioiis" dependent on the locatio nof the evaporator, and the particular-construction of the fixtlir'e that encloses the"refrigeratedspace. I p

In practice, thelowiefend 28 of the suction tube 2 2;; would-bedisposedadjacentthe lowermost region of the v sump 22.

saiditubejWoiildihefdisposed in proximity'to I 7 dgesj4 "and46 ifesp'eciiv ely' of the'pair of,- coneentricf ringsfitl and 40. v

As the""fanbladesand"the 'thereto secured "ring; and 1 vane isem z the suction tube"24;fthe resulting vacuum tinuauslyi withdraws condensate Tfrom into'particles; and mixes these;

ate'd' air being 'circulatedend-r thu'sfc'reated thef'sunfip zz, article's inw-theWefri difiused by the fan action.

'Ihe flaredq'iioiitli portion szof the upper In consequence'of this-arrangement;--the-humidity--of the refrigerated space is constantly maintained at a high level, thus automatically achieving the primary objective of the invention.

Withattention directed now to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the arrangement there illustrated is similar to that appearing in FIGURE 1, except that the ring and vane assembly 43 is not included, and the flared portion 32 of the suction tube 24 is disposed contiguously to the leading edges of the fan blades 34. With this arrangement, the operation corresponds to that recited with respect to the FIGURE 1 arrangement, the only difference being that: the condensate-air would- 'be difiused in spray 'forrn instead-"of "in atomized form.'-;-.

In view of the foregoingdescription'iand the drawings, it should be apparentfthat-' thefpreseiit' invehtiofi teaches a novel concept adapted-to maintainarefrigerated space in desired humidified condition. It should further be apparent that the invention adrnits'of modifications-without departing from the basic principles-thereof as set forth in the description and exemplified in the drawings.

Wherefore it is to be und'erstood-thattheinvention con j templates any and all modifications that *may'fall' within the scope of the claims hereunto appended." L

What I claim'is: i V

1. In a'refrigeration system of the ch'aracter described," said systemincludingan evaporator and'a' therebe low dis-' posed'drain pan: means fortrappirig and collecting'the f condensate dripping'from the'evaporatorinto said drainpan, in combination with meansforcontinuouslywith p a motor driven 'fan'having a plurality'of fan blades; a pair 5 of spacedconcentric ring members each rigidly'secui'e'dto portions of the leading edges 'of said fan blades, andacircular series of spacedvanes "disposed between'and' 'secured to said ring members. a

V 2. Means for maintaining a desiredhumidityinth" space refrigerated by the evaporator of mechanical renig-fl' eration system located above a'drain pan in said'space; said' means comprising: a sump formed in thebottoni 'wall of said pan for'trapping therein the condensate dripping'froin 1 said evaporator; a motor'driven fan-disposed above said drain pannear one' endof'the evaporator," said fan'having a plurality of blades for enculatin'g'air throughout said space; and a suction tube havingits lower end-disposed in fluidcommunication'with'thecondensate trapped in said sump anditsupper end disposedcontiguously to theleading edges of said fan blades, 7 v v 3-. Means for maintaining a desired humidity-in the space'refr'iger'ated by theevaporator of a mechanicalrefrigeratio'n system located above a drain pan "in said Y space, said means comprisingin combination: a sumpp formed in the bottom wall of said pan for trappingtherer posed'contiguously to the leadingedgesbf saidfan'blades andthereto secured ring members aforesaidfwhereby the vacuum created by said-edges =a's they-revolvepastthe upperendzaforesaid of the tube willcontifiuoiislysiphn 1 4 3 idl revolve pastilthe fl v mh 7n the condensate in spray form into the air streanfc'ircfi said means comprising: the means set forth in claim 8 tinuously withdrawing condensate from the body thereof 10 collected in said sump portion, for diifusing the withdrawn condensate in spray and atomized form through and about said evaporator, and for circulating said condensate throughout the space refrigerated by the evaporator, said means comprising a motor driven fan having a plurality of air circulating blades disposed above said drain pan near one end of the evaporator, and a suction tube having its'lower end disposed in the sump portion and thus in fluid communication with the collected body of condensate, and having its upper end disposed contiguously to the leading edges of said fan blades.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Planert Nov. 16, 1929 Frederick Feb. 5, 1935 

